Hand-cultivator.



Patented Sept. ll, I900.

H. R. FOWLER;

l'lAND- BHLTW'ATQR.

(Anulicat'ma mm Aug 17 1899.

-'No Model.)

ATTORNEY.

WITNESSES:

UNrrED STATES PATENT OFFIcE.

HERBERT RUSSELL FOl/VLER, OF OLINTONVILLE, CONNECTICUT.

HAN D-CU LTIVATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 657,695, dated September 11, 1900. Application filed August 17. 1899. Serial No. 727,541. (NomodeL) To aZZ whom it may concern.-

, Be it known that I, HERBERT RUSSELL FOWLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Olintonville,in the township of North Haven, county of New Haven, and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hand-Cultivators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in cultivators, and has for its object to provide a cultivator that may be operated by hand and adapted to all the requirements and motions necessary in such an implement to accomplish its work thoroughly and with ease. It is particularly important in this class of machines that the two limbs of the implement shall be adapted to spread apart or close up equally and uniformly with reference to the axis of the wheels and shall be capable of vertical or lifting movement each independently of the other and of a certain amount of longitudinal play or movement relative to each other for purposes of guiding, all of which features are provided for in my improved device.

The invention consists in the novel mechanical movements and construction, arrangement, and combination of parts for attaining the results hereinbefore enumerated, as hereinafter more particularly described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1' is a side elevation of my improved cultivator, and Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 isa plan view of a detail feature of the device. Fig. 4 is a vertical elevation with the axle in section on the line a as, Fig. 2, showing the connection of frame and axle. Fig. 5 is a rear view of the mechanical movement connecting the two limbs of the machine and the axle.

frame D is connected to the axle by means of the casting d and its cap 6Z2, bolted thereto and having the axle clamped between them, the casting being hinged by the pivots d to the fork E, secured to the frame, whereby the frame is adapted to be moved laterally, swung from the pivots d as a center and also vertically by turning the axle in its bearings in the wheels. The opposite frame D is provided with a fork E, similar to the fork E, which is hinged to a casting e by means of the pivots 6 and said casting e is provided with a bearing receiving the axle. The frame D is therefore adapted to the same movements as the opposite frame, but with this difference: that in its vertical movement it oscillates .upon the axle instead of carrying the axle with it. Said vertical movements of the frame are wholly independent of each other and may take place in opposite directions at once. The frames are provided at their rear ends with cultivating hoes or cutg which is secured to the handle, as shown,

forming a handle very similar to a shovelhandle, placed in a vertical plane and which is very advantageous in pushing the cultivator.

The two frames D D are connected by means of two sections of the well known mechanical movement known as the lazytongs, comprising the two series of parallel levers h and j, arranged in lattice form and pivotally riveted together at their ends and centers or points of intersection, as shown. At one end the lazy-tongs is attached to a bracket t, rigidly mounted on one end of the frames D in the drawings, and at the other end is provided with a fork in, which engages and is adapted to slide freely upon a quadrant or curved guide-bar 7t, rigidly mounted upon the opposite frame D. This construction, while connecting the two frames, peraxle Bis attached a horizontal lengthwise bar m by means of the socket m, formed in halfsections clamped upon the axle by the bolt m which passes through a perforation m in the end of the bar received within the cavity m of the socket. The said cavity is made sufficiently larger than the bar to permit a slight movement of the bar laterally for the purpose hereinafter described. The rear end 10 of the bar m is connected to the central joint of the lazy-tongs by the rivet nthereof,

and in operation this construction insures the following result, viz: The movement of either of the frames D D laterally will cause the equal and opposite movement of the other frame with respect to a central longitudinal line at right angles to the axis of the wheels, whereby the opening or closing of the frames to pass the weeding-hoes around the individualplants of the row that is being cultivated in no wise afiects or disturbs the true position of the wheels and axle with reference to the line of motion. Strictly, such would be the case were the bar m rigidly connected to the axle; but its play in the cavity m of the socket m permits a slight motion of the axle away from a position at right angles to the central line between the frames, and thus allows the machine to be readily guided by pushing either of the frames ahead of the other. This feature of the device is important, as without it the cultivator could be steered only by swinging the weeding-hoes to one side of the row of plants, which is impracticable. A small amount of play of the bar min relation to the axle is sufficient for the purpose.

The fork is is secured upon a stem 4", of which it may be considered an integral part, and connected to the lazy-tongs by the rivet r of the end joint thereof. Said stem passes under the bar m and central pivot 92 of the lazy-tongs, and a cap u is riveted to the bar m under the stem 7', the rivet passing through washers u at each side of the stem, as shown, whereby the stem is held in the central lon gitndinal plane of the lazy-tongs and the fork thus kept in position. The guide-bar 7c is preferably braced by an upright part fastened to the frame and the guide-bar.

The handles G are preferably secured to the frames in such manner as to be readily detachable, and the frames may be made of metal or of Wood, as may be desired.

The device is simple and cheap in construction, not liable to become out of order, and

is well adapted to fulfil the various functions of its design.

I claim as my invention-and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In a cultivator the combination of an axle, a pair of wheels mounted thereon, a pair of hoe-frames coupled to the axle, and double-section lazy-tongs connected at the end joints with the said sections and supported at the center joint from the axle, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. In a cultivator the combination of an axle, a pair of wheels mounted thereon, a pair of hoe-frames coupled to the axle and adapted to lateral vibration relative to the axis thereof and provided with operatinghandles, lazy-tongs of two sections connected at the ends to the hoe-frames, and having the central pivotal joint supported from the axle, substantially in the manner and for the purpose specified.

3. In a cultivator the combination of an axle, a pair of wheels mounted thereon, a pair of hoe-frames coupled to the axle and adapted to lateral and vertical vibration rela tive to the axis thereof, handles mounted on said frames, a central support mounted on the axle, and lazy-tongs of two sections c0n= nected at the ends with the hoe-frames, and

central joint from said support, whereby a limited motion parallel to the axis is permitted said central joint.

5. In a cultivator the combination of an axle provided with a central upwardly-curved arch, wheels mounted on the axle, a pair of hoe-frames coupled to the axle and adapted to universal vibration relative to the axis, handles mounted on said frame, a central sup port mounted on the axle-arch, a guide-bar mounted on one of the frames, a bracket mounted on the opposite frame, and lazytongs of two sections movably supported at the central joint from said support and adapted to a limited movement transversely of the cultivator, one end of the tongs being hinged to the said bracket and the other movably engaging the guide-bar, substantially in the manner and for the purpose specified.

6. In a cultivator the combination of an axle having a central upwardly-curved arch, a pair of wheels mounted on the axle, a pair of hoe-frames coupled to the axle, one being hinged or pivoted thereto, and the other coupled thereto by means of a universal joint, lazy-tongs of two sections supported at the central joint from the axle and adapted to a limited movement parallel therewith, and having the end joints connected to the hoeframes substantially as and for the purpose specified.

7. In a cultivator the combination of the axle 3 having the arch b, the support m mounted on the arch, the wheels A journaled 'on the axle, the casting d and cap (1 clamped on one part of the axle,- the casting e journaled upon the axle, the frames D and D hinged to said castings, the bracket 2' mounted on one frame, the guide=bar 70' mounted on the opposite frame, and the double-section lazy-tongs having one end pivoted to said bracket, its center pivoted to the support, and

its opposite end movably engaging the guide bar, the frames being provided with hoes and I6 handles, substantially in the manner and for the purpose specified.

HERBERT RUSSELL FOWLER. Witnesses:

WILLIS BARNES, MARY E. BARNES. 

